


1000

by jaera



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: DO NOT BE DISAPPOINTED, Deephwi, I beg you, JUST GIVE ME MORE JINHWI, Jinhwi is so precious, Jinhwi is so soft, M/M, Remix, You Have Been Warned, jinhwi, my attempt at contributing to our lovely jinhwi society, my attempt at writing crap, ppl please give me more jinhwi, there's not enough jinhwi fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 15:10:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12192321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaera/pseuds/jaera
Summary: I made another thousand paper cranes so that the god of cranes will grant my wish of being able to stay behind and be by your side.You know why?It’s because I’ve always loved you.





	1000

**Author's Note:**

> Hallo, this is my first attempt at making a Jinhwi fic.  
> This is actually a revamped (kinda) version of my old TAO/OC fanfic that was posted on AFF (Title is A Thousand Paper Cranes) so if some of you think that I am plagiarizing that author's work (if you have read that on AFF - which I doubt you do), you are not wrong since I am basically copying my own work Lmao  
> I just changed some minor sentences and dialogues since everything fits anyway.  
> Just to let you know, this isn't gonna be cheesy or fluffy or what.  
> THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A REAL PIECE OF CRAP.  
> DO NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

_It’s because I’ve always loved you._

It was still the same.

The way he wrote his Hangeul letters were still somewhat awkward. Each stroke was apparently still written down with superfluous force. Faint marks of the folded part of the paper were still seen along its faded out lines.

And just like before, calmness still defined its meaning.

 

-

 

I never really thought that at the tender age of seventeen, I’ll get to experience my first love.

Rather, love wasn’t really something that I’ve given any thought of before. To me, it was just a mere noun that meant: a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person; the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration.

Aside from my own parents, never have I felt anything alike with someone else. I have my fair share of friends, but never have I been attached to them to a certain extent. I always study to keep my grades in check, but never have I really went as far as to devote all of my time to it. I’ve found and met people that quite intrigued me, but never have I really admired someone sincerely.

But then again, not everything stays the same.

The life that people have is fleeting and ephemeral.

It is so short that people had come to loathe the fact that change is the only thing that was permanent in this world. They began to hate the occurrence itself.

That’s why fate had made it so that change will only happen when you least expect it.

Fate had made it so that everyone will get to experience it.

And when I say everyone, that included me.

“Being that you’re the class president, I assume you already know the reason why I called you here,” our homeroom adviser said as I only nodded despite feeling uncertain. “together with him.”

Peering over towards the student beside me, I gnawed my lower lip and watched him discreetly. “I told you Mr. Kim, I really am fine by myself.” he said, eyebrows creasing slightly towards our adviser. “Besides, I think I already bothered enough people.” Probably remembering that I was there as well, he turned to me. “Sorry, it’s not that I don’t want you to be my student buddy, but I just thought that you’re already very busy with the school festival coming up in a few months, being the class president and all.” he explained as best as he can - eyes alert - trying to read me.

It wasn’t new to me, being a student buddy for foreign exchange students. Regular students take turns in being the student buddy, but as the class president, I’ve always been the first one who the teachers always choose for the role. Most of the time, due to the sole reason that no one wanted to do it. It wasn’t much work, to be honest. We just stick to the exchange student always and act as their tour guide until the end of their program.

It was also like being tasked to be the transferee’s friend.

The only difference was, transferees stay.

Foreign exchange students don’t.

“It’s fine, really.” I replied, pulling on a small smile. “I’m already used to the job and right now, our class’s already starting on the preparations. I’ve already finished the paper works needed for it as well, so I’m all free.”

His eyes turning crescent like shaped, his full set of teeth showed as he smiled. “If that’s the case then I guess there would be no problem if I bother you for a while!” he exclaimed before clapping his hand as if remembering something. “But wait!”

Getting a shrug from our adviser, I turned to him with a raised brow.

“I don’t know your name yet.”

“Oh that,” I mumbled. “It’s Jinyoung.” I smiled. “Bae Jinyoung.”

“Jinyoung, got it.” he nodded, grabbed my hand and shook it excitedly.

“I’m Daehwi, Lee Daehwi.” he grinned, still shaking my hand while bowing. “Please take good care of me!”

 

-

 

It was our first time meeting, but it wasn’t the first time that I saw him.

He came from America and had been assigned in our class for one year. When I first heard that another exchange student was coming, I already expected myself to be chosen by our adviser as the student buddy.

But for some reason, it never came.

I wasn’t called in the faculty office. When I inquired about it, apparently, most of my classmates have already volunteered themselves for the job. It was honestly surprising, but I paid no heed to it nonetheless.

As I happened to go back inside our class room, I noticed some of my classmates piling up in a small group by the back door. I first thought that it was just some of the games that they usually played during breaks, but after observing further, I realized that it wasn’t.

Instead, it was because the new foreign exchange student finally arrived and it took no longer than a minute for me to notice him.

His physical stature was small, arms and legs thin for a boy. His hair seemed so fuzzy, black and sleek as the night sky. His facial features were soft, eyes sparkling with interest and lips curved in delight.

_He looks like a puppy._

He was fluent in Korean, but it was noticeably accented, as though he was speaking in a different language. Not that it was something to be off-putting or anything; it was a bit cute I might say.

But the one thing about him that caught my interest the most was his smile.

It was calming.

His smile was like that of a child’s, void of any impurity and deceit. It was somewhat a simple gesture, yet it managed to attract everyone around him. Even I wasn’t an exemption. I found his expression rather serene and peaceful, contrary to the ones that I’ve been seeing since forever.

It was probably the same reason why my classmates were completely drawn to him.

In a sea of pretentiousness and guile, a small sliver of sincerity was found.

A refreshing person full of naturalness appeared.

“To be honest, Jinyoung, I was nervous at first.” Daehwi chuckled, folding the paper in his hands carefully. “I’m not really smart like most of the students here in your school and I grew up in a different country with a _really_ different culture. My accent also sucks big time, so I had a lot of worries in mind.” After finishing the paper crane, he placed it inside an old jar—one that we found along the hallways of our school.

“I didn’t think you had thoughts like that though.” I said, handing him another piece of paper before going back to mine. “The first time I saw you… you were smiling.”

Daehwi pressed his lips into a thin line. “But that was because you smiled at me first.” he grinned as I stopped and stared at him. “And because of what you did, I thought ‘wow, the people here aren’t as intimidating as I thought they’d be’,” he then chuckled gleefully.

“Your smile gave me courage.” Daehwi grinned. “So I guess, it was all thanks to you!”

People are very fickle creatures. They could never be satisfied by being mere ‘okay’; they always preferred to be ‘perfect’.

However, no one is perfect. Nothing in this world is perfect.

People are very well aware of it, that’s why they are driven to being greedy and worse, heartless.

It was also the reason why it didn’t occur to me that a single and thoughtless gesture could turn out so fruitful and alive. Being in a world full of dissatisfaction, I have always felt that there wasn’t a need to put so much thought into something. Especially something like smiling to a stranger.

But I guess that’s what made it more fulfilling and satisfying.

The fact that there was still a person in this world who takes pleasure in the simplest of things.

The fact that there was still someone in this world who sees ‘okay’ as ‘perfect’.

 

-

 

“Let’s make a thousand cranes as a design for our class’s festival float!” Daehwi suggested. “It might not be scientifically proven, but I believe that the god of cranes would grant our wish if we complete it.”

Turning to me brightly, he then gave the same calming smile like how he always did. “It never hurts to try, right?”

I didn’t think that it would be honestly gratifying, having to meet a person like that. I’ve been seeing the same personality in everyone else for all of my life—greedy and hypocrite—so meeting a person that was entirely different than the rest greatly caught my interest.

I decided that it was the same as the fact that difference catches your attention.

But what I wasn’t sure of was whether it was something that I should be happy about or not.

Slowly, I knew that it was already changing me. The person that I was before who had never felt any strong attachment to someone or something was now feeling some sort of connection. The person that I was before who had never devoted himself into something was now working hard towards a certain goal. The person that I was before who had never admired anybody was now feeling something tender and warm towards a particular person.

Though thinking about it, I guess it was something good. I never felt any discomfort while undergoing through it. Probably because it was almost unnoticeable in the first place, but even so, even if it was sudden, I knew that it would be the same.

It would still make me feel at ease.

It would still make me feel calm.

 

-

 

“Hey, I already finished the half portion of the cranes, so you better do yours, okay?” Daehwi said, handing me a bag full of the origamis. Receiving a thumbs up from me, he grinned goofily before looking up at the blue sky. “Jinyoung, I actually decided to make another thousand cranes.”

Surprised, I tilted my head and asked, “What for?”

He pressed his lips into a thin line, looking at me as if trying to search for something. When I didn’t speak, he only giggled and turned back to the sky. “It’s a secret.”

I chuckled in response. “Truthfully, I’m doing the exact same thing.” I said. “I’m also making another thousand.”

“Are you even done with your portion of cranes for the festival float?” he asked, eyes scrutinizing with doubt.

Taking out another bag with the same amount of contents as the one he gave, I smiled. “Of course. I did these all night, you know.”

Daehwi laughed. “You’re really devoted to these cranes, huh?”

 _It’s not really the cranes…_ “Yeah, I guess.”

“So tell me,” Daehwi turned to me and asked, “Why are you making another thousand cranes?”

Donning the same smile that he gave to me awhile ago, I answered, “It’s a secret.”

Daehwi laughed heartily once again, causing me to do the same. “Okay, okay. Once we both finish our thousand cranes, let’s both tell our reasons to each other.” He took out his small finger and asked, “Deal?”

I nodded as he laced his finger to mine with a grin.

“It’s a promise.”

If people knew what I was doing, they would think of it as hypocrisy.

Like others, I disliked change. I also preferred being ‘perfect’ than being just ‘okay’.

Yet I had already changed.

Yet I had already become accustomed to the fact that nothing’s ‘perfect’ and had become satisfied with things just being ‘okay’.

The current situation between me and the one that I had come to admire was just simple, nothing special, but I was more than satisfied with it. Even I think that I was being a hypocrite by acting like that. But maybe it was because it was my first time feeling that way, feeling that inexplicably beautiful feeling whenever I was with him.

It was weird and new. It was bizarre and novel.

But most of all, it was calming.

And being in that state, I had come to realize that it was enough for me.

 

-

 

“Hey, I noticed that you’re getting too close to Daehwi,” one of my classmates, Jihoon, remarked as we walked down the corridors, the bags of paper cranes in our hands. “Not that I’m saying that you shouldn’t, but maybe it’d be better if you don’t let yourself get too attached.” He then turned to me and shrugged. “After all, he won’t stay here for good. He’ll eventually leave.”

I knew what he was trying to say, and I knew that every word was true, but I refused to think of it. I refused to _believe it._

Deeming that it was better if I just use an excuse, I stopped walking and said, “Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not like I’m attached to him or anything. He’s just a foreign exchange student that I, the student buddy, is assisting. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

I then faked a laugh to put his worries at ease. “Besides, I don’t even like him.”

Nodding his head, Jihoon smiled. “That’s good then—oh.” he stopped talking as his eyes widened. I gave him a confused look as he gestured for me to turn to my back.

And when I did so, I was met by the same smile that I always saw during the past months.

Except this time, it wasn’t as calm as it used to be.

It was broken.

“D-Daehwi, I… I…” I stuttered, at a loss for words. All the real feelings and sentiments in my heart were unable to work with my mind, and everything just jumbled up, refusing to come out as coherent words.

After a couple of seconds of silence, I finally calmed down.

But when I did, I was already too late.

“If you don’t have anything to say, then I’m going now.” Daehwi bowed in front of us and smiled. “Goodbye.” he said.

He then turned around towards the other end of the hallway, without ever looking back.

That day, we managed to finish the float and miraculously won 1st place. Not to mention our class winning in most of the games and contests, we came in 1st in all of the senior year. Everyone worked hard for that day, so naturally, they were all very happy and in glee.

And with the end of the school festival, the semester for the foreign exchange students also ended.

Being the class president, I should’ve been the happiest one out of all, but whatever I did, no matter how merry the atmosphere was, I couldn’t bring myself to. I should’ve been happy because my job as the student buddy was also done. I wouldn’t have to be the makeshift school tour guide anymore. I wouldn’t have to be the student who was forced to befriend the foreign exchange student anymore.

But I couldn’t be happy because deep inside, I wanted to continue doing everything.

I wanted to continue touring him around our school. I wanted to continue befriending him until the end of the year. I wanted to continue folding paper cranes with him and have our wishes granted.

I wanted to hear his reason for folding another thousand paper cranes.

But no matter how much I wanted it, there was no more way to continue what was left.

There was no more way to continue what hasn’t even started.

The untold reasons remained unheard.

The unspeakable feelings remained hidden.

And the unimaginable difference remained buried as the ghost of the past.

The past that had seemed nothing but a mere dream, a memory, of my first love.

 

-

 

_I made another thousand paper cranes so that the god of cranes will grant my wish of being able to stay behind and be by your side._

_You know why?_

_It’s because I’ve always loved you._

Touching the letters written on the unfolded white paper crane, I smiled, remembering the same feeling that I felt before when I was with him.

Calmness.

Folding the white paper crane again, I placed it back inside the glass jar where it was kept. Pulling out another glass jar from my bag, I got one white paper crane from inside and unfolded it. After writing on the unfolded paper crane, I folded it back again and returned it in its container which I placed right on top of the bookshelves of our old classroom.

 Nodding in satisfaction, I smiled at it one more time before exiting the room and leaving the two glass jars of paper cranes right beside each other.

_I made another thousand paper cranes so that the god of cranes will grant my wish of being able to turn back time and be with you again._

_You know why?_

_It’s because I’ve always loved you too._

I kept on convincing myself that what I felt wasn’t love. Since I never fell in love before, I couldn’t really be sure if what I felt was indeed the same.

I decided it’s almost the same as the fact that you’ll not know what you have until it’s gone forever.

But in some way or another, I believe that there’s still some difference. I believe that it won’t really be gone forever.

Because in the end, I continued to change. In the end, I continued to accept ‘okay’ as ‘perfect’.

Even if it didn’t become successful, I was still sure that the feelings that I had before continued to grow in my heart and mind, leaving me beautiful memories for the rest of time.

And in the end, the person that I was before who had never felt any affection, had finally realized the real meaning of love.

**Author's Note:**

> So sorry for that real piece of crap.  
> I am also planning to revamp my previous fanfic and make it into a Jinhwi centered fic.  
> But I'm not too sure about that since it's 34 chapters long LMAO (yes I know, I am a fan of long chaptered fics).  
> On AFF, that's like a normal fanfic length, but I haven't seen a story that long here so I am not really sure.  
> Main characters will be Lee Daehwi, Bae Jinyoung, and Park Jihoon.  
> Although I am still REALLY REALLY unsure about it.  
> Do you think 34 chapters is too long? Let me know your thoughts.  
> CIAOSSU.


End file.
